Red on Red
by Lexifer666
Summary: Based on the original movie. Takes place at the farmhouse. AprilxRaph. Rated M for language and sexy times. I love reviews. I do not own the TMNT. Complete.
1. RoR: Chapter 1

They hadn't been able to really check on Raphael in the van. They were cramped and all traumatized in their own way. The fire burned in the back of April's mind. They arrived at the farm of April's youth to hide and recover.

Bone-weary as the rag-tag team of fighters were now that the adrenaline was gone, Raphael was their first priority. There was something about the way Donatello and Michelangelo reacted to seeing their big bad brother unconscious and beaten that tore her heart out. She didn't know what to do to comfort them.

Leonardo was beside himself with guilt and grief. He solemnly sent his brothers away with Casey to recover from battle. He allowed April to stay and help him wash and dress Raphael's wounds. She suspected it was only because he knew she was familiar with the place and could anticipate what he needed and get it to him quickly.

"I told him we didn't need him," Leonardo finally broke down. "What if those are the last words I'll ever get to say to him?" Sitting defeated in a chair next to Raphael's bed, he buried his face in his hands and April could tell he was crying silently.

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder before leaving him to find her old bedroom. The next couple of days passed in a whirl. The house was a dusty old mess and a lot of things needed repairs. She helped to keep Michelangelo and Donatello occupied from their grief by keeping them busy, making them feel needed. Casey mostly complained and flirted but he said he was handy and helped get the water running.

She realized she had barely seen Leonardo and sought him out after dinner with a plate. "You need to eat and rest."

Leonard grumbled a reply as he took the plate April brought up for him. She thought to herself that this might be the first time he'd eaten since they arrived here. He looked exhausted.

"Why don't you let your brothers help, Leo?" April asked. "They are worried sick and you won't let them up here for more than a few minutes at a time."

"He wouldn't want them to see him like this. It would piss him off."

"How about you and I take shifts so I don't have two unconscious giant turtles up here? I've finished cleaning the place up with the guys, I have lots of time. Van is dead again so I can't even go into town until Casey and Donatello finish fixing it."

"You might be waiting a long time." They shared a smirk. Leonardo sighed and gave some instructions to April, then allowed her to show him to his own room. Even someone as disciplined as he was couldn't stay awake longer than three days. He could barely think anymore and the food settled into his stomach with a warm and lulling fullness. He was asleep before she shut the door to leave.

**oooooo**

Donatello and Mikey questioned Casey ceaselessly and he took it all in stride. They wanted to know how regular guys lived and how he and Raph had become friends. Not surprisingly, it had been in a fight. April warned them that Casey was not a typical 'dude' and probably the worst role model for normal human behavior they could choose. They adored him anyways and April was impressed with how well he treated them. Even though every other thing they seemed to say to each other was an insult, she could tell it was all in good fun.

As much as she enjoyed watching their banter, she took her leave of them to start her evening at Raphael's bedside. Leonardo was looking much better now that he was eating and sleeping, but Raphael was the same. Her stomach twisted in a knot every time she saw him.

She knocked lightly and entered Raphael's room. Leonardo had rolled him onto his stomach and was running a worried hand over his shell. "He's getting too dehydrated. We aren't getting enough water into him."

April hurried over and noticed that it looked dry and brittle in spots, the once beautiful dark shell now flaked with white around the scutes. She ran her hand over Leonardo's shell as a direct comparison. It was smooth like polished dark mahogany, the spiral patterns within each scute like a delicate carving. Her heart ached when she looked back at the red-masked turtle.

"What can we do for him?" she asked.

"He needs to soak. Do you think he will fit in the tub?"

"Let's call your brothers to help lift him up and find out."

Donatello and Michelangelo were eager to help, but also seemed gravely concerned. They struggled to lift him and carry him the short distance down the hallway. April waited in the bathroom and had laid a few towels along the bottom of the bathtub for padding. She heard a thump, and a growled "Watch his head!" and then the three of them were trying to position him properly.

The claw footed tub that had always seemed so huge to April when she was a kid could not accommodate the width of Raphael's shell on his back. They had to settle for him being on his side with his head propped up, the water only reaching just over the mid-line of his shell. Then he had to be flipped onto the other side after a time. Then the water had to drain so he could dry off enough in an empty tub to be returned to bed.

It was a long and upsetting procedure for everyone. Raphael would hate being fawned over like this. His brothers sometimes winced back from dropping a hand too roughly or some other small slight that would normally warrant a swat from the impatient turtle. The fact that he remained so passive and unresponsive drove home that he was in deep trouble if he didn't wake up soon.

That night, April just could not get to sleep. The house was silent and dark as she tried in vain to get comfortable in the chair next to Raphael's bed. She finally settled across the chair, swinging her legs up and over the armrest and laying her head on the arm next to his pillow. She stroked his cool head softly.

"You have to wake up Raph. Your body can't handle much more of this."

He sighed heavily and she sat bolt upright in excitement. Her heart swelled for a moment, but there was nothing more from him. She snuggled her head back down next to him, rubbing his arm, grasping his huge hand and curling it around hers.

Her soft spot for this brother in particular was growing into something else even as he seemed to be slipping away. The thought of loosing him just as she was getting to know him hurt her heart. The thought of watching his brothers try to go on without him and Splinter made the tears come. Leonardo thought he harbored all of the guilt, but it was because they had met her that their father had been taken in the first place.

** oooooo**

It was the third day of Raphael's soakings and the sixth day of him being unconscious. Everyone was trying to deal with it in their own way, and April did her best to keep the mood light downstairs.

Casey and Michelangelo had gone into town to pick up supplies. Mikey had promised to stay in a trench coat, a hat and remain in the truck while Casey shopped. Donatello was telling April about his triumph in fixing the car, and she laughed out loud when he got to the part where he ruined the side of the barn by driving the van through it...and almost Jones as well.

Suddenly Leo was yelling upstairs about food. April and Donatello stopped talking for a moment and looked dead into each others eyes with excitement and hope. They almost knocked their chairs over as they took off in a run from the kitchen table and raced up the stairs.

Raphael was up, and he was hungry.

** oooooo**

April and Michelangelo cooked the biggest breakfast feast the next morning that any of them had ever seen. They moved fluidly, efficiently and playfully together. Leonardo watched them and considered how lucky they were to have her as a friend. The feast was laid out on the table and the six of them dug in. Raphael and Casey argued over the last of the bacon while Mikey hogged the pancakes.

They recounted the tales of their awesome fighting prowess in the huge battle that destroyed April's home. She tried not to let it get her down and stayed upbeat, backing up each one's bragging rights.

"I can't believe I was out for the whole fight!" Raphael exclaimed, mouth full of food. "Did you guys stash me in a bathtub there too? Or just let all the bad guys take cheap shots at me?"

"Actually, April protected you!" blurted Michelangelo, and they all laughed at him being protected by a woman.

"Hey!" warned April, smiling indignantly. "I did a good job, I even cushioned his head when the floor fell in."

"The floor fell in?! Man, I missed all the good stuff," said Raphael. "I hope you didn't try to use my sai again, that was a pretty pitiful display in the subway," he teased her.

"No I had a stick," she laughed. "I did much better with that."


	2. RoR: Chapter 2

After the third time the kitchen tap exploded all over April she forbade Casey Jones to try and fix anything else on the property unless supervised directly by Donatello. They argued and she flew off in a rage to find her favorite quiet spot beyond the barn. There was an ancient fallen tree trunk overlooking the pond and sheltered by a willow tree. It had been 'her spot' as a kid, to be alone, to daydream or draw.

She stomped down in a huff and noticed Raphael already sitting there.

"Hey this is where I come to brood," she griped.

"Plenty of room."

"Casey Jones is driving me crazy," she complained as she took her spot beside him.

"Ya I know the feeling. Just don't ask me how I'm feeling or I swear I'm gonna explode."

"Duly warned." She replied. "You know, Leo barely let them visit you while you were out. They really missed you. Be patient with them."

"Ya, ya, I know. I just don't like how they've been lookin' at me. Like I'm gonna break or something."

"Well now I know you're feeling better," April laughed. "Already looking for a fight."

He went quiet. "Only one fight I'm lookin' for, and I don't know where to find it."

"I'm sorry. I really tried to get some leads on where Splinter may have been taken. I feel horrible for all of this."

"All you've done is help us. More than I ever thought someone would for freaks like us."

"He was taken when you were at _my_ place. Likely followed you when you were saving _my_ ass. How couldn't I help you? And can the freak talk."

He looked over at her fully and noticed her blouse was soaking wet and clung to her chest. He smirked. "Saving your ass was my choice. I shoulda been more careful. I also chose to go out on my own in broad daylight like Splinter told me never to do."

"Why did you bring me back? Now that I know all of you, you seem like the person least likely to do that, and yet it was you."

"How could I not?" he repeated back to her smugly. "Wasn't going to leave you there knocked out with Foot ninjas still hanging around waiting for you."

"Still, people don't trust my kind usually." He looked confused. "Reporters. Most of us have pretty bad reputations for keeping secrets. Your brothers must have had a fit."

He rolled his eyes. "Fits of excitement, more like. They were big fans."

She nudged his arm. "Just them?"

"Nah." He looked away shyly. "Plus I needed my sai back," he teased.

**oooooo**

Over the next couple of days April and Casey had come to a truce. They discovered they were both coffee junkies and early risers, so they had a new routine of sitting on the porch drinking their coffee until the turtles woke up and Mikey helped her make breakfast.

"You should learn to fight," Casey said out of the blue to April.

She considered a moment. "That's maybe the smartest thing I've heard you say so far," she laughed.

"The guys will be training hard soon, as soon as Leo gives Raph the green light. Said they have to up their game before they go back and face the ninja army again. Lots of time for us to practice." He looked over at her hopefully.

"I was thinking of Raphael to be honest. You are a brawler and that's not something I can learn to emulate. I need to learn actual techniques that will help me because I will always be the smaller and less experienced one. I just need to be able to strike and get away."

Her excitement grew as Casey tried not to show how disappointed he was. _'What woman in New York shouldn't know some self defense?'_ Her strange new friends certainly had a way of attracting trouble and she seemed to be in the middle of it already.

Draining the last of her coffee she decided to go ask him before all of the brothers were up. It would be almost impossible to get him alone otherwise and if the others teased him right off the bat he might just say no. She knocked on his door but there was no response so she stepped in quietly. He was sprawled on his stomach across the bed, one arm hanging over the side, hand just touching the floor.

"Raphael?" she called quietly, not wanting to wake up the neighboring rooms. She walked over to his bedside and realized she had missed being close to him. She took the opportunity to inspect his shell again. The daily soaks had helped, plus now that he was well he could swim the pond in slow lazy laps. She traced the lines in his shell with her finger, happy with how well it had healed up in a matter of days.

She looked back up at his sleeping face and his eyes were open. The look on his face was mortified. Her eyes widened in shock, then she snapped her hand back awkwardly and gave a breathless "Sorry!"

"What the hell are you doing?" The tone in his voice made her nervous.

"I was trying to wake you up and apparently you are a really sound sleeper," she rushed. "I wanted to ask you something before everyone woke up and it got crazy around here. But I can go. Sorry again!" Damn it what was she thinking? He liked his personal space more than anyone else she knew and she was freaking petting him in his sleep.

She turned away to leave, cheeks red. He caught her arm with his outstretched hand. He was gentle but firm, and his hand covered half her forearm. She was reminded of when she had curled her small hand into his and blushed even harder. He saw her flush red and his heart thudded haltingly. It was too early for this.

"What were you doing in here?" he asked, feeling self-conscious and flustered.

"Like I said I had something to ask you but couldn't wake you up. I got kind of distracted by your shell. We started soaking you because it was looking really dry. I was just admiring how well it had healed in such a short time and got kind of carried away. I really am sorry I didn't mean to invade your space like that." She willed herself to stop babbling.

He looked at her like he didn't believe her. "Admiring how it healed?" he said sarcastically.

"Well, ya." Why was she so nervous? "Leo had me convinced you were dying of dehydration based on the condition of your shell. I'm happy to see it looking beautiful again you must be almost completely recovered."

"Beautiful?"

"Oh! Ughh, handsome?" she ventured, not knowing if she just hit a turtle gender faux-pas.

The honesty of her compliment came as a complete surprise to him. He let go of her arm, feeling a strange mix of emotions crash through places in his psyche he tried to keep numb. He breathed in slowly and asked neutrally, "What did you need to ask me?"

"I'm pretty sure I managed to make enough of an awkward mess of this morning. I'll talk to you later."

"April," he said impatiently. "It's fine I was just...surprised."

"I was kind of hoping you would do me a big favor."

"Anything," he said as confident as could be, trying to get her to calm down.

"I would like you to teach me how to fight."

"Anything but that."

"Why?"

"Are you for real right now?"

"Yes! I need to be able to defend myself. You can't be around 24/7 to save me. I don't want to go back unprepared any more than you guys do."

"Aw man, why me?" he asked, thinking of all the ways he could screw it up. She winced a little at the question, and he could see hurt in her eyes. 'Shit.' He was already screwing up.

"I thought it would be a good way to ease you back into training. I also know the other guys will treat me like glass and I won't learn nearly as much that way. I trust you to kick my ass a little, but not go overboard."

"I'm not exactly known for my patience or restraint. I don't think I will be a good Sensei," he admitted quietly.

"The only other offer I got was from Casey and I'm pretty sure it was just an excuse to spend some time alone and 'accidentally' grope me."

He frowned at that.

"We'll start after breakfast."


	3. RoR: Chapter 3

April had not considered herself out of shape. She did step classes and aerobics and her body was pleasantly toned and healthy. When she asked Raphael to train her she was absolutely not expecting it to be so difficult, or for her body to ache so badly afterword. His warm ups included a jog through the forest and more exercise than she felt she had ever done in her life combined. By the time it was time for learning how to actually fight, her body was almost ready to quit on her. Yet she had persevered through the last few mornings and was determined to keep up with his lesson plan.

She had asked Raphael to focus on skills aimed at a fighter who would be smaller and lighter than their opponents. The last few days had mostly been about learning a few kata forms, proper stances, blocks and break-falls. Oh, the break-falls. Most of today he had been showing April how to use the katas and blocks she had learned against an opponent. At random intervals he would trip her up or push her over.

"Your body will start to remember how to take the fall automatically," he had assured her. By the time Raphael was done with her she was a sore sweaty mess with a coating of dirt and grass for good measure.

They ended their sessions by relaxing on the log under the willow. Today April collapsed across it on her back, resting the back of her head on his thigh. "I would jump in the pond but I'm so tired I might drown," she whined. "I might not make it back to the house today now that I've stopped."

Her eyes were closed and he tried to ignore her head on his thigh. And the way her hair had spilled down between his legs in a tickling fashion. "You asked for it," he reminded her, keeping his voice level. "You didn't want anyone going easy on you."

"I was so naïve."

Raphael chuckled under his breath. "You should see what Master Splinter puts us through to keep us in good form. And still we ain't as good as he is. He's lightning fast. He can still put any one of us on the mat." He sighed. "I never thought we would need to protect him. None of us did. It didn't even occur to us." His mood shifted to darker thoughts, and April could sense it.

"Tomorrow you will be training with your brothers again, and with me in the morning as a warm up. You'll be in great shape. We'll go back to the city and shake it up until we find someone who knows where Splinter is."

He nodded. "I'm sorry about your store. The guys said it was your father's. That you kept it open because you missed him, and that it was full of cool stuff. I wish I had seen it."

She smiled, remembering the brothers playing around with everything in the shop. "At least I still have this place. There are a lot of good memories here. He passed away a year ago. It never stops hurting either, it's just this empty place in your heart where you know they should be."

She paused, and he could feel the sorrow coming off of her in a slow wave. He shifted awkwardly, desperate to stroke her hair or comfort her in some way. She misunderstood his anxious movements for discomfort and sat up, groaning. "That's why I know Splinter is alive," she said, looking into his eyes. "You would feel it if he was really gone."

She was still trying to comfort him, he realized. To keep him focused and his rage in check. Despite obviously needing comfort herself for the loss of her father. Their situation was bringing up those memories and being back at this farm was really hard on her. She had never complained or let it show. He didn't know what to do to help. She looked exhausted and had a few light bruises ghosting up her arms from practicing blocks. The layer of grime over her did nothing to deflect from her beauty.

Trying to break the sombre mood he had created, he scooped her up and jumped down off the log. She cried out in surprise and laughed as he marched back towards the house with her in his arms. "Ya didn't look like you were gonna make it to the shower today," he joked, "and you really, really need it."

"Lucky me, I get chauffeur service today." She smiled and rested her head against him, sighing contentedly.

"Don't get too used to it." Holding her against him, looking at her closed eyes and the small smile on her face, he reminded himself of the same.

**oooooo**

"Use the environment. Stay concealed," whispered April. That was the lesson of the day. She kept close to cover and moved as silently as possible. She had no idea where Raphael was right now, but she was determined to find him first. She slowed her breathing and cleared her mind, listening for him.

They were practicing sneak attacks. It was like ninja hide and seek and when one found the other they would attack, spar, then repeat. Raphael caught her off guard every damn time. She would block his attack if she was quick enough, possibly get a kick or a punch in and then be practicing those break-falls again as he downed her.

This time he dropped from a tree, pinning her immediately.

"No fair! You are green! In a forest," she said, exasperated. "I haven't found you once to try an attack. It's your turn to defend."

Laughing he rolled onto his back and lay beside her in the grass and moss, tucking his arms behind his head.

"Really? You aren't even going to stand up for my attack?" April panted.

"We're taking a break. I can hear you breathing a mile away right now."

She scowled at him but wasn't going to argue with a break. She collapsed all the way back as well, letting the cool ground drain some of the extra heat away from her tired body. She closed her eyes and stretched out her aching muscles, inhaling the sweet smell of grass and wildflowers deeply.

When she opened her eyes she noticed he had rolled onto his side and was looking down at her. "What?' she asked crankily.

"Your hair. It's been slowly turning red. Why did you color it?"

"Prime time prefers blondes to gingers, not that that matters anymore," she grumbled. "I just haven't had a chance to redo it since we've been here."

"Can I touch it?"

"Um, sure. Don't mind the sweat and dirt," she laughed.

She half expected him to loose his nerve but he didn't. Slowly he played with the ends of it, tested it in his fingers, then rubbed her scalp. His hand seemed big and strong enough to crush her head but there was only a gentle massaging. She was practically purring by the time his curiosity was sated. "Definitely like it red." He smirked.

"It's a good colour on you too, tough guy. Maybe now that my TV career is over I'll keep it natural."

"I don't understand why you would need to change anything to be on TV. I'd give anything to have even Casey's ugly mug and here you humans are judging each other on such minor differences. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't give me much hope for acceptance."

"Hey, you are two for two as far as humans go. Rocky start until we got to know you and that you were trying to help people. It's hard to believe your own eyes seeing you guys. It's hard for the mind to put into context at first because we have no real-life context to draw on. Human? Animal? You don't fall into either category and it's scary at first. For me, once I figured out you had saved my life and heard your amazing story, I realized you were just people. It doesn't matter to me what you look like."

"Ya, sure it don't," he said sarcastically.

"Hey! You callin' me a liar?" she said in her best impression of him. "You're gonna pay for that."

He laughed and their sparring continued once again. She tried hiding and attacking to practice her stealth but he always heard her coming and deflected easily. He could see her frustration rising as he blocked her latest punch. With a cry she quickly ducked his return and swung her leg out, catching him behind the knees and knocking him flat on his back.

"HA!" she cried victoriously.

He spun on his shell and knocked her legs out from under her, sending her crashing down on top of him. He caught her in his arms and laughed. She loved the sound of it.

"You couldn't just let me have my moment?" she huffed into his throat before sitting up.

"Can't have your ego getting too big too fast," he joked. He looked at her with open affection for a moment. April blushed and returned his gaze with a smile in her eyes but he went tense. She realized she was straddling his thigh and there was an undeniable warmth against his leg where she was pressed to him. Her hands were braced against his lower plastron and her fingers were rubbing absently along the smooth surface.

She froze. The moment he saw the nervous look in her eyes he dumped her on the ground and stalked off towards the pond. She followed at a distance, wondering if he was going to stop in their usual after-training spot, but he marched himself directly into the water.

She felt the disappointing ache of rejection. Raphael obviously craved contact and comfort as much as his brothers, but let it show the least. He understood better than the others just what a lonely and unfair turn life had given them. He had built a wall to protect himself that April had slowly been chipping away at, showing him they could have friends and careful contact with the world. Somehow she had crossed the line and blew it. Now he would put up Fort Knox.


	4. RoR: Chapter 4

Raphael had been particularly hard on her the next morning. Mostly drills, katas, cardio and minimal sparring in which he kicked her ass with pin-point precision. When he decided they were done, he simply vanished.

The guys all knew when April got home from her morning routine. They made an effort to never be in the washroom around that time for fear of her wrath if she couldn't take her shower immediately. Today was no exception and she collapsed into the tub, sitting with her head against the tiles and let the hot water flow over her. Somewhere along the line she had fucked up. It was as if Raphael hated her now, cringing from her touch and not speaking to her unless he had to.

Maybe she repulsed him as much as he assumed humans were repulsed by him. She wondered why he couldn't see the person under it all like she did with him. You would think given his situation he would be more understanding. It was that moment she realized she had feelings for him. Real feelings. Not gratitude, not friendship, not even an innocent crush. She wanted him, and it killed her that she may not even have his friendship anymore.

She felt dizzy and laid back in the tub as the shower continued it's warm ministrations over her tired body. In what seemed like a moment later, she groggily wondered why she was so cold and why it was so loud. Then she became aware with a start that she was in her bed wrapped in a damp sheet and there was quite a commotion going on.

All five men were in her room, and all five stopped and looked at her. Her eyes widened and she pulled the sheet higher and clutched it. She was naked under it and felt even more so under their scrutiny.

"See? She's fine," gestured Raphael crossly.

"Dude, she's covered in bruises and was out in the shower," Mikey growled. She had never seen the most lighthearted of the brothers so angry.

"So let's get outta here and let her rest, it's time for us to go do our real training. You know so we can go back and get Splinter. Or have you all forgotten?" he raged.

"None of us have forgotten," Leo said in a low, serious voice. "That's why we are here. You needed to heal and we need to train. There's only four of us and Casey to take on an entire army of ninjas. We need to get better and work better as a team."

Donatello and Casey backed out of the fray and one of them handed her an ice pack. "Sorry," Donatello whispered. "This will help your headache," he spoke up, looking pointedly at his brothers. "Unlike all this yelling we are doing in your bedroom."

She must have looked pretty pathetic because they all zipped their lips and left her room. She heard them stomp through the downstairs and outside into the warm and too-bright afternoon, presumably to kick the shit out of each other until they were too tired to be mad anymore.

"Casey can you close the drapes please? My head is spinning and it's so bright in here."

"Ya of course, anything you need," he answered. Usually he was all sarcasm and banter, but she could tell he was concerned and sincere at the moment. They could have a verbal sparring match when her head stopped spinning.

"I need to get dressed just keep your back turned unless you hear a thud okay?" She let the damp sheet fall onto the ground and found herself some jammies. She crawled back into bed without incident and returned the ice pack to her forehead.

"So, this is embarrassing. Who found me in the tub passed out?"

"Mikey. Don't worry he was a perfect gentleman. He turned the water off and ran for a sheet before hollering for help. He said he saw a lot of bruises but nothing else, he swears," he laughed.

"I bet," she answered, blushing. She closed her eyes to stop the spinning in her head and sighed. "I don't know what I did to piss him off so badly, but it was like I barely knew him today." She groaned. His callous comment about 'real' training had added insult to injury. "They are so good it must be boring and frustrating to train a beginner."

Casey shook his head. "Did you have an argument or something?"

"No. Possibly a misunderstanding, but he won't talk to me."

"I don't get it. 'Cause when it's just us hanging out or sparring he brags about how well you are doing. He is enjoying passing on his knowledge. The guys tease the living shit out of him over you, and he just takes it."

She frowned a little. "Then what the fuck is his problem?"

"I think he likes you. He's the only brother that won't admit he has a crush on you. You spend the most time together and are obviously closer friends yet he says nothing. His silence gives him away. He knows there's no chance and it must be eating away at him. I was hung up on you myself for a couple weeks there," he jokes.

"Gee, I never noticed Captain Jones Smooth."

He laughed out loud at that.

"Can I sleep? Am I supposed to stay awake? I'm really tired."

"You can sleep. Donnie checked you and said it looked like a very mild concussion. Over-exertion and the heat today didn't help either. Maybe I'll go into town and grab a few things at the store. I don't want to train with angry turtles, hospital is too far away."

"I haven't been in many fights but they definitely seem ridiculously strong. Even today, Raphael wasn't being that hard on me, just careless."

"I've been in plenty and they are scary strong. I wish I had that kind of strength. Hey if you want a change of pace, just let me know. I can still show you a few things."

"Thanks, Casey. Get me something for my headache while you're out, please?"

"No problem, babe," he replied, flashing her a winning smile before leaving her.

oooooo

There was an awkward silence the next morning as Michelangelo and April cooked breakfast together like they usually did. April was feeling much better after the rest but limped obviously and winced whenever she had to reach over her head into a cupboard. It didn't help that the motion also lifted the bottom of her shirt just enough to see the black and blue on her side. The bruising went all the way up her ribs, a fact Mikey was fully aware of.

She wasn't the only one moving gingerly today. All the turtles were sporting a new bruise here and there. There was still tension between them and seeing her like this wasn't helping. Chatter over breakfast was sparse. She glanced up at Raphael at one point and caught him watching her. She saw something in his green eyes she had never seen before as he looked quickly away. Shame.

She spent most of the day at her desk drawing. She had sketched a lot since she had been back. While she also drew still-life objects, wildlife and scenery, the turtles dominated her collection. Their anthropomorphic physiques were a challenge at first but she was a good artist and could capture them realistically now. Of course Raphael was on her mind that day and she sketched him repeatedly. 'Even though he is being an ass. And I might hate him a little bit right now.'

Casey said he liked her but knew he didn't have a chance. Casey took that as a given too, and April hadn't corrected him. The truth was she had no idea, but she at least wanted her friend back. She felt a headache coming on again and downed some pills. Her bed beckoned to her invitingly and she decided a nap would be wonderful.

oooooo

Raphael had never pissed off a woman before. Casey said angry women were terrifying creatures that demanded a gentle hand and soothing words. That was exactly the opposite of how to deal with an angry brother. The worst part was that it was his own damn fault, as usual.

He knocked on her bedroom door. Nothing. Frowning, he opened it and looked in. She was asleep and looked really pale against the sheets. He suddenly had a vision of Mikey holding her in his arms wrapped up in one of those sheets, panic on his face. The water had run cold on her and she was shivering despite being unconscious. He remembered the pain that twisted in his chest that very moment, even has he angrily defended himself against the others as they tended to her.

He closed the door and rushed over to the bed to make sure she was okay. He felt her forehead and listened to her breathing. Just asleep. He sighed in relief. The side of his mouth quirked up as he checked the bump on the back of her head. "Just checking on your shell," he whispered.

He would let her rest. They could talk later. As he turned away a drawing of him on her desk caught his eye. She had been busy. There was a whole series of sketches of him. The first one was him in mid-kick. She caught his form and his energy perfectly. The second was the willow tree and the pond from afar. The scenery was very detailed for it being from memory. There were two silhouettes on the giant log, the two of them from behind and her head resting on his shoulder. His heart beat faster. He should go.

There were two more sketches in his hand and he couldn't resist looking. The third was just his head and shoulders, looking back at him and laughing. She caught the mirth and affection in his eyes that he thought he was so good at hiding from her.

The last picture made him frown. It was him in ready position, ready to leap off the page and kick some major butt. He recognized the look in his eyes. Frustrated, angry, pin-point focus on his enemy. Except yesterday that had been April. This is how he had looked to her before their sparring session. Somehow she had stood opposite to him every time, trying to learn, not afraid. Trusting him not to actually hurt her. He had been too rough with his throws and strikes and then just took off, leaving her to hike back alone and collapse in the shower.

"Fuck sakes, Raph," he said to himself quietly, gritting his teeth.


	5. RoR: Chapter 5

April hadn't come down the next morning and Mikey made them breakfast alone.

"Leo, do you think April is okay?" Michelangelo asked as he served up. "Should we go check on her?"

"I think we should let her sleep in if she needs to," he answered. "Plus I get the feeling she is avoiding us for some reason..."

They all looked at Raphael.

"Hey, I went to apologize yesterday but she was asleep. Cut me some slack."

"I hope she's not mad at all of us because of your temper," moped Mikey.

"She's not mad at you guys," Casey interjected, taking a big sip of coffee. "She's only avoiding you so you don't see her hurting and start fighting again. She's fine, we hung out a little when you were out last night."

Michelangelo scarfed his food a little faster than usual and went over to the stove. He came back with a full breakfast and coffee on a tray. He snatched a flower from the vase on the kitchen table and placed it on there for good measure.

"This will cheer her up! Breakfast in bed, dudes. She'll love it!" He thrust the platter to Raphael, the coffee spilling ever so slightly with his enthusiasm. "Go for it, man."

Raphael almost dropped his fork. "Are you serious?"

"Of course! It always works in the movies. We all miss April, go kiss and make up already."

The others snickered but refrained from openly ripping on him. They didn't want to spook him out the door by pissing him off. The tension was already unbearable and they really did miss April.

"Go for it tough guy," Casey encouraged. "Time to get your shit together and be a man."

He sighed. "Fine, give me the damn tray. I don't wanna hear a word about this when I come back down ya hear? Not one word."

He ignored the chuckles and encouragement from his brothers as his heart thudded all the way up the stairs. He knocked on the door like some hotel waiter and felt ridiculous. He hoped she was still sleeping and he could just leave it there on the nightstand and slip back out. "Come in," he heard her call and his heart started hammering even faster.

'Get a grip, Raph', he thought to himself. He came in and scooted the door closed behind him with his foot.

She was reading propped up in bed, the sunlight crowning her fiery curls around her face. She was so beautiful that he stared for a moment. She regarded him cautiously and curiously.

"Hey uhhh, Mikey put a little something together for you and I thought I would bring it up for ya." Nervous, he crossed the room and placed the tray down on the bedside table. "I'm not very good at this, but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for acting like such a jerk. I hope you are feeling better."

"I'm fine." She took her coffee and sipped it, then went back to her book. She let him fidget for a moment before sighing and looking back over. "Anything else?"

"If you are up to it, I have some really light training we can do today."

"You're right, you aren't very good at this."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he said quietly.

His eyes were so sad and she was such a sucker. "I wasn't really looking for an apology Raph, even though it is nice to hear from you. I just want to know why you were being such a jerk in the first place. Why did you hurt me so badly?"

"Shit, I didn't think it was that bad..."

"No." She cut him off. "I meant my feelings, not the rough way you tossed me around. I was ready for the odd accident or hard spill. I tried really hard to be a good student. I know I'm not some giant super-strong mutant but I was doing my best."

"You are a great student. It's not that."

"Then what is it? I've lost everything for you guys, except this old place out here in the boonies." She took another sip of her coffee. Mikey always made it too sweet for her but it was still good. "You hurt me really bad, Raph. I want to know what I did to make you so angry."

"I don't know." This was new territory for him. The rush of emotions he was feeling, trying to sort them out and actually speak about them to her seemed like the hardest challenge he had ever faced. He shifted his weight and looked down, reminded of all the times he had been in deep trouble as a kid with Master Splinter. "I just, I started feeling normal with you. I couldn't handle it anymore."

She raised an eyebrow. "I treat you like a normal person and you go nuts on me?"

"I don't want to know what it feels like," he flailed. "It's not for me and never will be. When we go back we'll hardly see each other and all I will have is a memory here and there. It's too painful to bear already, it's even worse knowing what I am missing out on."

"A human friend?"

"It's becoming more than friendship though isn't it? Or am I crazy? I know what I saw and felt the other day and I wanted it so bad it hurt. I was so mad that you were hurting me by giving me hope. Then you looked scared and I just couldn't deal."

She stared up at him, crushed. He had just laid it all on the line and she was speechless. Breathless. He was backing off a little, the walls were coming back up and she had no idea what to say suddenly. It wasn't what she had expected from him. "Raph, I..." She paused.

"Ya that's what I thought," he said angrily.

"No, don't leave. I need a moment. You're not crazy," she called finally at his turned back. He had reached out for the door knob and froze just like that.

"What?"

"I feel it too. I love spending time with you and I've missed you these last couple of days. I think you are fun, interesting and intense. I think you are a great Sensei and the most amazing fighter I've ever seen. I've not once been afraid of you since getting to know you. You were the one that froze up first the other day, and I just didn't know what to do. Thinking you hated me or were repulsed by me hurt a lot."

"You thought I was repulsed by you?" he laughed bitterly at that.

"What was I supposed to think? My body wasn't exactly subtle with what it wanted and you just changed in an instant."

He crossed back over to her and sat heavily on the edge of her bed, blushing. "I had to get out of there and hit the cold water before I poked a hole through my shell." She laughed out loud at his honesty and he shared an embarrassed smirk with her for a moment. "I told you, I was pissed you made me think it was even possible."

"Is it?"

"What?"

"Possible?"

His eyes widened for a moment in shock. "I think so," he sputtered. "I don't see why not, we're not that different."

"Oh." She blushed so hard her freckles disappeared. She hadn't expected them to be similar to humans at all.

Raphael fidgeted at the end of her bed. "So now what?"

"I'm just as confused as you are," she said. "Let's just take things slow. No pressure. Just don't be an asshole again, okay? Talk to me. It's unknown territory for both of us. It's normal to be a bit nervous. Don't shut down on me."

She took his hand and held it. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, heart fluttering. It felt like an electric current going through his body. He had been curious about kissing. His mouth was so large, and it took a few clumsy tries, but if he pursed his lips just the right way hers fit against them perfectly.

She melted into him and he started to let himself believe that it was real. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. She straddled his lap and let him crush her flush against his plastron, his mouth nipping at her throat. April moaned and her arms went around his neck. Raphael had never in his wildest dreams thought he would get such a response from a woman, let alone the one who had dominated this heart and mind since he had met her. If they were going to take it slow, however, he had to stop. He gently gave her collarbone one last taste and shifted her back onto the bed.

"You have half an hour to get ready and meet me for training."

"Oh really? Where will you be?" she asked breathlessly, heat flowing through her.

"The pond," he groaned.

"No kidding," she laughed knowingly.

When he left she ate her breakfast slowly and with great contemplation. What the hell had she just committed to? A relationship she would need to keep hidden from almost everyone, for one. A half-human, half-turtle mutant who was young and inexperienced. Any semblance of a normal life. Yet she would have him. She knew he would love her fiercely once he let himself. Once the fear of the unknown and the realization she wasn't going to reject him sunk in. He made her happy, he made her laugh, he made her feel good. Wasn't that all that mattered?

Meanwhile Raphael had made a B-line to the back door, trying his best to avoid his brothers in his current painfully uncomfortable state. No such luck though, they practically jumped him as soon he got down the stairs.

"Did you fix things?" Donatello asked.

"Ya, we're good, can I go now?"

"See? It totally worked!" Mikey exclaimed happily, hugging him.

'Worst timing possible, Mikey', Raph raged in his head. "Let go of me I gotta go set something up. We're gonna train today, real light stuff." He was babbling, dragging the clueless Michelangelo a bit as he tried to escape.

"What's wrong bro?" he asked as he followed him through the house, the other two tagging along behind.

"Nothing!" he yelled. "Stop pestering me."

"You are acting weird even for you," noted Leonardo. "Are you sure things are okay? You didn't start a fight with April like you usually do when you try to apologize did you?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Growling in frustration, he turned on them. "I'm sure. We kissed and made up, okay? Now let me go get my head together before I gotta see her again shell brains."

They all stopped and their mouths dropped. From somewhere in the kitchen Casey Jones choked on his drink and sputtered a bit. 'Oh sweet freedom', was all Raphael could think as took advantage of the moment and shut the door between them. A moment later he plunged into the unforgiving crispness of the pond and wondered what the hell had just happened.


	6. RoR: Chapter 6

Their talk had diffused almost all of the tension between them. They were back to being friends and confidants. If anything the tension had shifted onto his brothers and Casey Jones, who were waiting to see how all of it would pan out. April and Raphael didn't hide the slight shift that had happened between them, but they weren't overt about it either. Their touches lingered a little longer than usual. A brother would take a corner and catch them in a kiss. Their gazes found each other while in the group and they would miss parts of conversations. Raphael smiled a lot more and it seemed to terrify his brothers.

The light training Raphael had arranged shocked April with actually being...light. In direct comparison to the pace they had before it was a pleasure cruise. A short jog, a swim, some tai chi, yoga, then practice her katas. It was just what she needed to clear the cobwebs from her mind and muscles. She enjoyed it while she could, because she knew it would only last a couple days. He would be back to driving her to complete exhaustion soon enough.

Her favorite part of the last couple of lessons had been learning to throw stars, which they practiced last instead of sparring. Raphael had presented her with part of his private stash of shuriken. They were made from odds and ends of scrap metal, but each one was polished and sharpened thoughtfully. April was thrilled to finally find something in ninjitsu that she actually had a natural talent for and excelled at almost immediately.

The day Raphael had thrown some cardio into their session she knew her easy ride was over. She wanted one last go with the shuriken before it became all sparring again. She brought out a ruined old dartboard she had found in the basement to hang on a tree. He smiled approvingly and they made up rules for and played Shuriken Darts.

April was doing well but Raphael was pulling ahead in points. They decided they needed more of a challenge and it became a race to one-up the other, both trying to show off. Raphael took a run parallel to the board, twisted and hit the bulls eye while in motion. April ran, dove into a roll and threw a bulls eye from her kneeling recovery position. Raphael quickly executed a kata and threw one without breaking form so quickly she didn't even see the throw. It landed just off the bulls eye. April pirouetted for a moment and threw dramatically. She just hit the board.

They were both laughing. Raphael turned his back to the board, spun and released three shuriken to pepper around the bulls eye in a cluster. "Nice!" April cried. "I can throw three, too."

"I bet you none will hit the bulls eye," he joked.

"Phfft, just watch," she said cheekily, strutting up beside him and aligning the throwing stars in her right hand. "I've been practicing while you guys are out. I've finally found my forte." Focused, she brought her hand up. Just as she started to flick her wrist he hooked his foot behind her ankle and threw her off balance. She released the shuriken and flung them into the grass.

"You are such a cheater!" She laughed and pushed him playfully.

"We never made a no tripping rule," he grinned wickedly.

"That should go without saying!"

"You were holding them wrong anyways, you don't line them up in a stack. You separate them a little, like this," he demonstrated. "Then they hit in a tight grouping but don't interfere with each other in the air."

"I was doing alright my way," she huffed.

"Well now do it the way I tell you to and see how it goes." She opened her hand and he placed three more warped metal stars the proper way within it, then gently molded her hand into position. Frowning, he changed the placement of one finger. "You have too many fingers to deal with but I think this will work better for you."

His large dexterous fingers fluttering about on her hand and wrist had her way more distracted than they should have. She looked up and watched him demonstrate what she should do. She shook off her fugue and managed to focus. She threw them and damned if he wasn't right about them hitting the board in a nicer cluster.

"Fine you were right, just this one time," she conceded.

"Of course I am, I've only been tossing these things since I was a little kid. Anyway smart ass, to get a more accurate aim with multiples you need to line up to the target a little differently."

He demonstrated for her, full of bravado. As he was about to throw she lifted her shirt and flashed him. His eyes widened and his stars hit the tree and the base of the dart board. "Ok, that's for sure cheating."

"We never made a no flashing rule."

"I thought you were training with me because you didn't want to get groped," he warned.

"I didn't want to get groped by Casey," she said innocently, looking up at him with a quirked eyebrow and a devilish smile.

He was on her before she could blink. She gasped into his mouth and assessed her situation. One huge hand was crushing her against him at her waist, the other cradling her head and playing with her red hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him harder.

"I didn't realize you were a boob man," she said breathlessly, "or I would have done that sooner."

He groaned and planted his face in her cleavage. She felt a little nip and giggled. "They were my downfall," he mumbled into her.

She laughed, her bosom heaving against his face even more. "Your downfall? I didn't think you took Shuriken Darts so seriously."

"No, not that," he said exasperated. He lifted his head up but clutched her tightly to himself still. "When I first hit puberty I found a skin mag on a junk yard scavenge. I looked at it and had the reaction you would expect. Except I was a turtle. Why did I even like boobs? Turtles don't have 'em. In fact I liked everything I saw. It made me realize I was part man too, but looked like a freak. From that day, I knew I would always be alone."

He looked embarrassed and self conscious for a moment. April pushed him down gently in a kneeling position and removed her top completely. Her bra was bright red with a lace trim and cupped her breasts together perfectly. Definitely part man, he thought to himself uncomfortably..

"Well as usual Raphael," she said, letting his name roll off her tongue playfully, "you were wrong."

"I've never enjoyed it more neither," he murmured, reaching out for her.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and his fingers overlapped back on to each other. April felt her blood roar at his touch. She loved the feel of his huge hands on her. They had been affectionate but tentative since they had admitted their feelings for each other a few days ago. When they started to get more heated one of them would back off, not quite ready. April had burned for him the previous night after they had parted ways for the evening. They had been interrupted mid-make out by his brothers. Her body had craved his touch so badly that she had been sorely tempted to break his door down in the middle of the night. Her lust and curiosity were overriding the slight case of nerves she had about what exactly he kept hidden in that shell of his. The main concern was that they wouldn't be compatible at all, but even if they weren't there were many other ways to please each other. She had thought about most of them as she tossed and turned last night.

It was the first time she had taken clothing off for him. His heart knocked at his chest nervously. There was a smoldering determination in her eyes as she leaned in to kiss his face, his throat. Raphael traced his fingers over the remnant of the large bruise she had on her ribs. He had kicked her, not been careful enough, out of his own frustration.

"I'm so, so sorry April."

She shushed him. Her hands were gliding down his shoulders, then exploring the soft, sensitive skin that merged into his shell. April could feel the vibration of the low rumble that came from his chest as he held her tightly to his plastron. She leaned back into his hands a bit, her nipples perked in the bra. She took his head in her hands and pressed the flat of her stomach into his face. Immediately he was exploring her with his mouth. He could cover a lot of ground at once with his large warm tongue. She popped the latch on her bra and off it came.

He couldn't believe what was happening. Even as she let him slide her shorts off, even as she lay bare to him in the cool grass, he didn't believe it. His curiosity was as insatiable as his mouth. Each moan and whimper made him bolder, made him want more. He wasn't the only one. April, beside herself with need, guided his face down from their favorite spot at her breasts to between her legs. "Please Raph, if you don't let me finish I am going to loose my mind."

He breathed in her scent hoarsely before taking an experimental plunge with his tongue. She cried out and arched her back. He kept going, lapping at the sweet warm wetness. He felt her hands come down to his head, encouraging him. His tail unfurled and finally his discomfort disappeared as he felt his member hit cool air. He moaned in relief and tilted his head up to see her reactions. All he could make out was her arched chest and the underside of her breasts and throat. Her face was tilted back and to the side. With his head tilted up at this angle his tongue brushed over a little bump and she thrashed wildly and cried out. He re-doubled his efforts on the little nub after slowly testing her reaction with one of his large fingers moving slowly just inside her.

April felt as if there was a spiraling vortex of heat rising up from his mouth and spreading throughout her entire body. Then the inferno crashed within her, making her shake. "Oh. My. God. RAPH!" she cried.

He felt her spasm violently around his finger. Just hearing her moans and cries had almost finished him. He so desperately wanted to just plunge into her but he stopped himself. He had never been exposed around anyone before. Ever. He sat back on his heels, kneeling awkwardly and trying to casually hide his raging hard on with his hands in his lap. He watched April slowly catch her breath even as he panted harder. Her hand wandered through the grass blindly, looking for him. When she realized he was out of reach she opened her eyes slightly.

"Really? You're gonna play shy with me after that?"

He swallowed hard. His confidence was gone. She sat up and shimmied over to him. She looked like some wild creature, sheened with sweat, leaves crowning her unruly curly hair, eyes hungry and dark with lust. She was painful to look at. She embodied everything he felt he didn't deserve.

"After how amazing you made me feel, let me return the favor?" she purred, her voice lilting up at the end. Asking permission.

This was it. He was going cross a line he never thought he'd even see, and it would either be amazing or the death of him. Her hands were on his arms now, trailing a path of fire down to where his hands met. April held his gaze the entire time, looking for a signal to cease. Her hands stopped over where his met on his lap. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze.

"No pressure. Do you want me to go? It's okay if you do."

"Please no," he whimpered. The idea of being alone right now sent a shudder down his shell.

Slowly he moved his hands so they were over hers and placed them over the throbbing, damp member. She didn't hesitate at all, just stroked up and down with both hands, exploring his massive length. That low rumbling growl went through him again and he squeezed his eyes shut. April was pleasantly surprised if not a little daunted by his size. She never would have thought that there would be enough room in that shell of his even in a relaxed state. She had prepared herself for a foreign look or shape, but it was more human-looking than not. She was prepared for green, not so much for the deep purple-black. Mystery solved, she settled down on her stomach between his kneeling form. She propped herself up on her elbows and pressed them against the insides of his thighs, head dipping between his legs.

Raphael realized what April was about to do and steeled himself. "Oh fuck," he growled, hands instantly twining into her hair. He was so unprepared for the sensation and he couldn't control the gasps and moans coming from his own throat. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold on very long. He tightened his hold on her hair urgently and tried to control his hips. He felt the tension rise then finally snap, draining him. He had never known the meaning of serenity until that moment. They curled up together in the sweet smelling grass and just listened to the sounds of their breathing. She fiddled with his red bandana contentedly.

"Are you my girl now?" he asked quietly, stroking her hair.

"You are absolutely and completely stuck with me."

He chuckled. "We should head back. I'm gonna be late for training with the guys."

"Will they be angry? Or jealous?"

"Angry, nah. Jealous for sure but they'll just rip on me."

"I know at some point they'll be curious, but can you please not give them too many details? About me? I don't want things to get weird with them." She blushed a little bit for a moment, then started getting dressed. "Maybe we can show them that it's okay to want to find someone. They deserve to find love too."

"You love me?"

"You doubt me?" she countered.

"No." He pulled her forward and kissed the top of her head. "Don't ever doubt me either."


	7. RoR: Chapter 7

They returned to an empty house.

"Shit, Leo is gonna be pissed," Raphael swore. "I gotta run." He kissed April on the top of her head quickly and was gone in a flash. She took a quick shower and grabbed a book, planning on making the most of having the house quiet and empty for a few hours. After a while she had a hard time concentrating on reading.

She thought of the feeling of Raphael's wide tongue on her and shivered. The heat in his eyes. She had never felt so wanted or trusted before in her entire life. She didn't expect Raphael to be shy next time. The thought made her lips twitch up in a smile. They had both been a bit nervous and that was understandable. For April it was almost like being back in virgin territory. The great reveal was done and it took most of the anxiety and mystery away. They were much better prepared and could relax and have fun.

April realized she was sitting back in an armchair with a giant smile plastered across her face like some smitten schoolgirl. She had a flush of red from her chest up into her cheeks. She wished he was there. Any lingering doubts in her mind were banished. She glanced at the clock. They would all be back soon. She stood up and cleared her head, smoothed herself over and decided to get a quick dinner going for them. They would be ravenous when they got back and she was in an extra-good mood.

The five of them walked in noisily just as she was draining a giant pot of spaghetti. They had a slight sheen on them and weren't covered in dirt and grass stains so had apparently gone for a swim at the end. Casey's hair was still dripping wet.

"Hi guys, dinner is almost ready," she greeted them with a wave of a wooden spoon and a sideways glance.

"Smells great," commented Casey. "Just gonna change and dry off, don't let these numbskulls hog it all before I get back down."

"Hey, we're growing ninjas man," called Donatello after him.

They started talking excitedly at the progress they were each making and how they were almost ready to return to the city and fight the Foot. Leonardo set the table for the group and everything seemed quite normal. She relaxed into the routine and the six of them completely demolished the spaghetti and meatballs.

Donatello announced that he had found an old VCR that morning and a box of movies in the basement while he was puttering around looking for something to do. Most of them were old cheesy horror movies from the 70's and early 80's. Raphael declared horror movie night marathon. Michelangelo called popcorn duty.

The others went off for pillows and quilts to prepare their favorite spots in the den. Michelangelo had four extra buttery SuperPop stove tops going at once, one on each burner. April was beside him at the sink, filling it with warm soapy water to let their dishes soak.

She caught him staring at her and practically buzzing with excitement. Michelangelo took a quick look around to make sure everyone else was out of earshot. He leaned in close to her with a smile and quietly said, "Welcome to the family, sis."

She smiled, blushing slightly. He spun away to rescue the frantically popping popcorn, orange bandana flailing out behind him. When he turned back to her it was with two giant bowls of popcorn. "Thanks, Mikey."

They each brought in two large bowls and handed them off. The couch, armchair and recliner had been taken at this point, and the first movie in their solid gold cheese line-up had started. April grabbed her quilt and headed over to Raphael, who always claimed the recliner. His feet were up already and she shimmied across the arm onto his lap carefully, not wanting the chair to snap back down and send her flying onto the floor.

He smiled widely and helped her get comfortable and wrapped the quilt around her. She used a bunched up end of the blanket to make a padded spot on the top part of his hard chest and tucked her head in under his. There was a moment of snickers, grins and sideways glances from the others. The movie played on and soon they were all caught up in the fun of heckling the main characters and making fun of the special effects.

April remembered watching three movies and then nothing after. Early morning summer sun filtered in through the windows of the den. Everyone had passed out down there in a nest of strewn blankets and pillows, mostly on the floor. Somehow Casey had managed to get the couch to himself and was still snoring softly. Michelangelo and Leonardo seemed restless, either just waking or close to it.

She felt a tickle against her ear. "Pretend to be asleep." They had slept in the chair together. _'He must be really stiff and uncomfortable',_ she thought, wondering how long the poor guy had been awake. She started to shift again. "Please," he reminded her. She went limp. He was very warm, especially against her belly. She inhaled deeply and peacefully and felt her abdomen press against a hard bulge. '_OH_', her eyes almost flew open in realization._ 'Stiff indeed.'_

Leonardo groaned and shifted on the floor. Then yawned loudly. "Ugh what time is it?"

"Too early for life," Mikey whined. "Shushhh."

Raphael shifted April carefully so he was holding her bridal style instead of having her draped over him belly to belly. He made sure the quilt looked wrapped around her but had enough slack so that when he stood and scooped her up no one would see his arousal. She played dead.

Michelangelo looked over at his brother. "Aww, you're so cute," he yawned.

"Quiet Mike you'll wake her up," he whispered. "I'm gonna bring her upstairs and catch a few more zee's."

Raphael made a quiet and hasty retreat upstairs and breathed a long sigh of relief when he shut her door behind them with a nudge of his foot.

"Smooth," April teased, nuzzling into his neck. He made a noise deep in his throat and brought her to the bed. "How long were you awake?"

"Long enough." He pressed her into the mattress and smirked. "You have my shell lines on your face and I'm pretty sure you drool in your sleep."

She laughed and squirmed under him. "Ya, and what were you up to in your sleep? Good dreams?"

"Ain't it obvious?" he answered, rubbing against her thigh.

They heard footsteps and voices downstairs. Sound carried in a fairly unforgiving way in the large old farmhouse. "You should go, they will hear us."

"I am a ninja. Stealth is my specialty." His hands were under her shirt and lifting it as he traveled up. She let him pull it over her head despite her better judgment.

"I'm not!" she whispered.

Her pajama pants were gone and she was feeling a little lightheaded and her mind was still foggy with sleep. Her body was very alert and betrayed her horribly. She sighed and gave in to him. He pushed her thighs apart gently but firmly and found that little nub between her legs that had made her scream his name the day before.

She immediately pulled a pillow over her face to muffle her moans. He waited until she was bucking in rhythm with his tongue and pulled away. She threw the pillow aside to take a deep breath, face red and flushed. "I'm going to suffocate if you keep going," she gasped in a whisper.

Raphael pulled the pillow away from her. "I don't want a pillow between us when I take you for the first time." He was speaking lowly into her ear and she writhed beneath him desperately. "I want to see you. I want to see what I can do to you."

"Yes, Sensei," she purred, shaking his control for a moment. She saw a shift in his green eyes from loving to raw animal lust, sending a thrill of desire straight down her core.

He groaned above her and rolled his hips, seeking entrance as he nipped her shoulder lightly. She shifted herself to accommodate him and felt the blunt tip of him brush at her wet lips. He paused, fighting to regain control even as the heady scent of their arousal intoxicated him. He entered her slowly and filled her out completely. The vibrating rumble in his chest started immediately, threatening to escalate into a much louder sound that he bit back for fear of alerting his brothers. April gasped and hiked her hips up more as she adjusted to him.

"You feel so good," he rumbled. He thought he would be more prepared this time but the sensation was completely different than when she had taken him with her mouth and hands. As he moved a slow steady rhythm into her he felt closer to nirvana than meditation had ever brought him. April greeted each thrust greedily with her own need as she tried not to scream his name. She did not want to be interrupted by his well-meaning brothers. Instead she made low, unintelligible noises, scrunched her face up in pleasure and held on to the ridge of his shell to brace herself. As much as he loved watching her reactions he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, willing himself to last longer and extend their pleasure.

Someone came up the stairs and passed by in the hallway. They struggled to be silent and Raphael pressed a large finger to her lips. A shower went on in the bathroom next door. She licked his finger and sucked the tip, making him groan. At least the noisy shower would provide them some cover.

Their bodies moved together, her legs entwined around him and his face buried in her chest. She could see the focus and discipline that had been honed into him. His muscles strained and his face was a mask of concentration. His eyes were clamped shut and his tongue flicked her nipple lazily. He moved slowly and reverently into her, allowing her to feel every slick inch of him. It was more than she could take. One deep breath later and she was shuddering beneath him wildly, muscles clamping down against his girth.

Surprised, he opened his eyes. Her head was thrown back in a silent scream of ecstasy and her legs crashed him into her even deeper for a moment, holding him there until he felt his body shake along with hers in pure euphoria. He collapsed down beside her on the bed, panting. From the sounds of things breakfast was in full swing downstairs and whoever had been in the shower was just finishing up. He kissed her ear and gave it a nibble and she sighed into him. He thought her ears were irresistibly cute and biteable, and was amused when he found out that it turned her on.

"April," he whispered into her ear seductively. He had her full attention. "Don't think this means I'm going to go easy on you today in training."


	8. RoR: Chapter 8

The next morning after breakfast Leonardo quieted everyone down and had them gather outside near the half ruined workshop. They all seemed to know what was going on except for April, who wondered what they were up to.

"April we wanted to thank you somehow for sharing this amazing place with us," Leonardo started. "Together we have been able to grow as a team and improve our skills. We have been safe from the Foot and found friendships we never thought we would have."

Casey nudged Donatello towards the ancient workbench playfully and he pushed him back before scampering around behind it suspiciously.

"So we made you a gift," he continued. "All of us did some work on it, but Donnie put on the finishing touches so we're giving him the honors."

Donatello came back around with a bo. It was shorter and thinner than his, and made from light oak instead of dark. The middle had white and red twined wrappings, woven together. Her mouth dropped when she held it. "It's beautiful! You made this?" she asked breathlessly. One end had kanji symbols carved into it and a flowing pattern of willow leaves.

"Let me make sure I made it the right size," Donatello said. "Stand it up next to you." He leaned back to appraise it. "Just a bit shorter than you, perfect! It's officially done."

"Thank you so much guys!" she said, hugging each of the five of them.

Thrilled, she tested the feel of it slowly. It was perfectly weighted, not too heavy, comfortable in her grip and the detail and craftsmanship they had put into the it was unbelievable. She rubbed a finger over the kanji. "What does it mean?" she asked.

"Fiery spirit," replied Raphael.

"We all agreed it suited you," snickered Casey, to the chuckles of the others.

"Ya, just wait til next time you guys leave me with all the dishes," she joked. "You're going to be in major shit."

"Now that your basic training is done we thought you would want to progress," said Leonardo. "It is up to you. Raph is confident now that you could handle yourself in a one-on-one human confrontation. The bo is nice enough to have as a keepsake. We picked the weapon for you based on Raph's assessment of your inherent strengths and weaknesses. It is combat ready if you would like to learn how to use it. With us as your teachers, you will become a skilled fighter."

Her breath caught in her throat. This was an open invitation to join them in their training beyond the farm. Accepting her into the group by offering to share their passion for ninjitsu. They had also given her a casual way to decline if she wasn't interested without hard feelings. They accepted her either way.

"Yes, yes, yes I want to learn how to use it!" she said in giddy excitement. "I'm truly honored."

"Excellent!" Donatello cheered.

Raphael smirked with a look close to pride and she smiled up at him. He took her hand and squeezed it.

"Ok April, Raphael can teach you the basics today," Leonard said warmly. "Ultimately Donnie is going to be the best teacher and he'll give you some lessons before we go back as well. Like I had said, we are working really well again as a team and have really built each other up. Now, to fully prepare to go back and fight an entire army, we need to start trying to tear each other down."

The brothers seemed to have already gone over this but wanted to include April and Casey. "I want for all six of us to train together, once in the morning and once again in the evening every day. It is going to be intense. Mornings we train as a team. Evenings we will single each other out and fight five on one. We need to get used to getting swarmed. It needs to become second nature to defend against many attacks at once. It is the only way we will defeat the Foot and find Splinter. Retreat is not an option this time," he said firmly.

"April obviously as a beginner we are going to keep you back, keep you safe," Raphael said soothingly. "This will help get you into fighting shape and give you some skills. Unless things go really, really, wrong, we'll keep them offa you." He looked conflicted and worried.

"Casey, you are a great fighter and have gotten even better training with us now and then," Leonardo said. "Are you ready to commit to this and take it up to the next level?"

"Hell ya, how could I pass that up? I'm itching to kick some ninja-wannabe ass. Farm life is making me crazy."

"Awesome, I'm glad we are all on the same page," Leo said, relaxing.

Donatello gave April and Raphael a sly look. "I think we've cut into your morning enough, you two crazy kids go out in the woods and do whatever it is you do," he teased.

They all laughed and April blushed. Raphael scowled angrily at them, tensing. April played along and purred, "Yes, Raph, please teach me how to handle this huge stick."

That shocked them into silence for a moment and then they all burst out laughing, Raphael included. "Well when you put it like that, how can I say no?" They went on their way, catcalls behind them. "Don't mind my idiot brothers," he mumbled.

"I don't mind. I'm just happy they are happy for us. Mikey calls me sis now all the time it's so cute."

He snorted. "As long as the idea of them as family doesn't make you want to turn tail and run."

"I'm not the one with a tail, remember? Where are we going anyways?"

"Just over here, the trail with all the steep hills. You ready to run? You gotta get used to the weight and feel of your staff. Fifty push-up punishment for every time I hear it tap the ground."

She groaned. This was going to be a long day.

**ooooooo**

In the evening Donatello worked with her while his brothers and Casey sparred. After all the push-ups she had done today her arms felt heavy and her hands were going numb. He had expected her to be tired and tried to keep it light and fun, having her mirror his movements with his own bo staff. He was a gentle and patient teacher. He made her do the stances, forms, strikes and blocks almost in slow motion at first until she executed them perfectly. Then quicker and quicker until her bo whizzed through the air with a dangerous, thrilling whistle.

That night, after two full training sessions and the longest, hottest bath she'd ever had, April retired to her room right after dinner. Her muscles were sore and aching. She glanced at her new bo and instantly had a love-hate moment with it.

Michelangelo, Raphael and Casey had found the strongest, straightest white oak they could and cut it down. They tested the tree for it's strongest point, then whittled it into the basic shape. Donatello had finished carving it, balancing it perfectly and trying to make it the proper height, weight and thickness for her smaller size. Leonardo had wood burned in the delicate flowing kanji and laced the red and white weave tightly down it's middle. Raphael had been the one who carved the intricate willow leaves up the one side of the bo, wrapping in a complimentary way around the kanji and down to the fabric grip. It was a nod to 'their' spot under the willow tree by the pond. Donatello had then polished it and given it a protective coating. It had taken them the better part of a week to finish it.

Sighing, she decided she loved it again. She took it into the middle of the room and went through each of the four starting stances. Then the three main holds in each stance – wide, narrow and normal. She brought it up to block an imaginary strike on one side and then the other.

There was a knock on her door. "Come in." She smiled as Raphael came in and closed the door behind him.

"Still at it?" he asked, setting a herbal paste and wraps on the table.

"Sort of. Just trying to remember my stances before my brain shuts down." She leaned the bo against the wall. "Sorry I just disappeared, I am so tired and my neck and shoulders are in knots."

"That, I can help you with."

He lead her over to the bed and he sat behind her on it. Huge warm hands firmly rubbed out the tired muscles and she melted into him. She moaned happily and he nipped at her ear playfully. "Where do you get all this energy?" she asked with a yawn. "You don't even drink coffee." Her words were slightly slurred and her eyes wouldn't open.

He let her down onto the mattress and tucked the blanket over her. He smoothed her hair back and kissed her cheek. Looking at her made his heart ache. He was glad she would continue her training. In the back of his mind he had hoped she would, and not only because it meant she would spend more time with them. The reality was that their enemies knew she was a friend. April would always be a target. Even if she tried to walk away from the whole mess she would be a target, just by association. He would feel much better knowing she had a fighting chance against whatever foes made the mistake of trying to use her against them.

Raphael remembered the paste him and Leo had made for her, one that their father had used to make for them when they were young. He turned up her hands one at a time, applying a coating to the palms and the inside of all those tiny fingers. Then he took the gauze and wrapped her hands into loose mittens, only the tips of her fingers exposed. The salve would reduce inflammation and heal the blisters she was no doubt forming.

He spooned in behind her, the bed not really big enough for the both of them. He didn't care. He looked down at her peaceful face one last time before reaching to turn off the lamp on her nightstand and smiled. She really did drool in her sleep.


	9. RoR: Chapter 9

April awoke to the feeling of being slightly crushed. She was on her back and Raphael was on his stomach half on top of her. His arm was curled around her, hand resting gently on her breast. Her one arm was trapped between the mattress and the plastron of his shell. She shifted and whispered to him. His green eyes opened groggily, slowly lighting up at the sight of her. He was adorable. Not cuddly from every angle, but adorable.

"My arm is asleep. Can you shift over?"

"Mhmm," he replied sleepily, rubbing her arm gently.

She shimmied up a bit so she was flush against the front of him and her chin could rest on top of his head. Her bosom cushioned his face and he sighed contentedly. "My hands?" she asked, confused.

"I wrapped them. Stuff in there heals the blisters so your hands won't sting all day."

"Thank you."

"I'm gonna keep you to myself one more day. They can go train on the Western ridge of the forest like they planned, we'll stick around here. We'll join them for the evening session."

"No more private lessons from you after this one?"

"Not til we get back to New York. Then you can have as many private lessons as you can handle..."

"Sounds good to me." She wiggled against him. The high pitched wail of the coffee maker caught her attention. "I am definitely going to need some caffeine to survive you today."

"Yes you will," he promised.

**oooooo**

She eyed him suspiciously when their warm up was only a light jog and some stretching.

"You need to be alert and focused, not worn out. If you are going to be training with us you need to be fast. Agile. Use your smaller size to your advantage. From now until we leave it's going to mostly be sparring. I want you to be able to hold your own. Show me what Donnie taught you yesterday."

She started in the typical front stance with a normal hold on her bo. She brought it up in a fake block, then moved on to a lunging thrust and into long front stance. A spin and a strike, a twirl of the bo before going into the next kata from horse stance. He looked impressed and she smiled proudly.

"Ok. The katas were precise but way too slow. If the bo isn't making a sound as it cuts through the air, it's too slow." She nodded, awaiting the rest of his assessment as he considered what their plan should be for today. "The movements mean nothin' either if you don't know how to apply them. Countering an opponent with the right technique, out-thinking and out-maneuvering them, that's what is going to make you come out on top."

He feigned attacks on her in different scenarios, drilling her with what technique she needed to answer the attack with. With weapons and without, from high and from low, from every possible angle he needed to know that she could recognize the best way to fend each type of attack off. When she got it wrong he demonstrated why it was a bad choice. He kept going through them until she was answering most of his attacks correctly. Once he felt more confident in her ability to defend properly, his feint attacks became contact.

"Shoulda been high block," he barked as he broke through her defenses and tagged her on the shoulder.

April tried to bring the bo up in an uppercut movement now that he was in close but he jumped back and clear. She chased him and tapped the front of his shell in a lunging strike with a cry. He caught her bo and pulled her off-balance, pitching her into the grass. She did a rolling break-fall and lightly kicked the side of his thigh from a crouched position. He dropped the bo back down to her as a reward then danced away before she could strike again.

He attacked again this time with his sais, clashing with her and showing her how to avoid having the bo get hooked and disarmed or broken. Then he switched his grip so the longest point came out from between his fingers, making a few precise slash and stab movements. She managed to block some of them but now and then she felt the cold dull metal trace gently across her abdomen or throat, making her shiver.

The sais went back to his belt and his foot came up almost simultaneously. She was unprepared for the high kick. Her block was weak and she almost lost her bo again. He lunged head on towards her, teeth gritted, heart pounding. She brought the bo up between them horizontally and let it clatter against his chest, bracing. She tucked, planted a foot firmly in his midsection and used his momentum to roll backwards. Surprised, he went down with her. April used the strength in her leg and Raphael's momentum to flip him, and he landed hard on his shell. She scrambled on top of him and touched her bo to his throat.

"Oh my god I did it!" she yelled happily, suddenly covering his panting face in kisses.

"I can't believe you caught me in that move, that was awesome."

April was flushed, excited and really, really horny all of a sudden. All the fighting and the thrill of her small victory gave her a rush. She started nipping at his throat roughly, bo discarded beside them, hands playing with the tails of his red bandana. She had his attention immediately. He growled and grabbed her ass roughly, making her gasp into his ear. His blood was already roaring from sparring and he flipped their position so he was on top.

She was struggling to get out of her tights beneath him and he tore them off. She hiked her shirt up over her breasts, not bothering to take it off. His hands were everywhere at once. Her body was lean, toned and tight from weeks of intense exercise. She turned her back to him, on all fours, inviting him. He plunged into her, hands wrapped around her tiny waist and thrusting wildly. She was practically screaming beneath him, begging him not to stop. They were on the verge of orgasm quickly and didn't bother to slow. He shifted down, hands gripping her breasts and nibbled the back of her neck and shoulder roughly. They let their need overwhelm them, the intensity never dimming, exploding into a final bliss that left them strewn carelessly in the grass, panting furiously.

As their breathing calmed Raphael reached out and found her hand, grasping it. He hadn't been gentle and was concerned. "Are you ok?"

"I have never been more ok. Ever. Can we end every training session that way?"

"Not anymore. Gotta train with the group now."

"That would just be awkward," she agreed, giggling.

He laughed and sat up, passing her the black workout tights. "Sorry."

She put them on and there was a giant tear down the seam of one leg. "It was worth it. We should head back." She stood up but her knees didn't seem to want to cooperate. She swayed and sat down again. "Once I can walk again..." She caught a gleam of pride in his green eyes.

She laid in the grass again, the back of her head on his thigh. He played with her hair and they both closed their eyes in contented silence. When he opened them again he noticed her brow was furrowed.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Do you think Splinter will like me?" April asked, eyes glassy as she looked back up to him.

"Of course, he already liked you," Raphael rumbled.

"Us being together goes against everything he's taught you about our world. To stay away, never be seen, never trust outsiders. Won't he be pissed?" she worried. "What if your brothers try to meet more people and something happens to them? It would be my fault."

"No. Honestly we couldn't stay hidden underground forever. Not one of us. We know not everyone is going to be accepting, or even tolerating. We'll all be careful."

He pulled her up into his lap and squeezed her tight for a moment against himself. She could tell he was agitated now. "What?" she asked, nervous.

"I want you to stay away from us when we are fighting. I want you to be safe. If something happened to you..." he didn't finish. The thought was too much to bear. Even as he pushed her so hard to learn the ways of the ninja so she could protect herself, he wished he could shield her completely from harm.

"Promise you will be careful too. I know you guys are amazing, but there were just so many of them. I...I can't stand the thought of loosing you either, Raphael."

"I love you," he said finally, holding her tightly.

"Love you too," she murmured against him.


	10. RoR: Chapter 10

Over the next week group training sessions were broken up into roughly three hours after breakfast and three more once the hottest part of the afternoon had passed. Training with the turtles was an absolutely amazing experience for both Casey and April. Their focus and enthusiasm was contagious. Even though they missed Splinter fiercely, they knew in their hearts he was alive and that once they hit their goals they would be unstoppable in getting him back.

Having another human in the mix gave April a good gauge of her abilities and fitness. If even Casey found their pace inhumanly possible and needed a rest, she didn't feel so bad about falling over next to him and watching the brothers until they caught their breath.

As Leonardo had said, the morning session was to build each other up. The evening sessions were an intense exercise in breaking each other down. The guys would each take turns being singled out, even Casey. April wasn't singled out since she was still learning and the plan was to keep her out of direct combat. Everyone was armed and would generally stop a hair away from an actual strike or slice, but accidents happened so it was best to be on the alert.

The point of this exercise was to defend against multiple _human_ attackers. A clear strike to the head, throat or chest to each of the five attacking was the only way to stop the onslaught. Of course for them it had become a game to see who could hold the record for defeating the other five the quickest. On the other hand if the defender took ten critical hits he was dead. For Casey it was three, because he didn't have a shell but was 'tough enough to take three major hits'.

The whole thing was really a crazy mess of limbs, weapons, shells, mock strikes, a few real ones and fun. They smack talked each other, created different scenarios to fight out of and the time flew by. Attacking with the group made April bolder. At first she was always the the first to get tagged out, but she was getting quicker.

Currently her and the four brothers were ganged up on none other than Casey Jones. The butt of his hockey stick came up and stopped just under Raphael's chin, tagging him out first.

"Shit," he spat. He hated being the first one defeated.

Casey laughed and then got caught by Leonardo, who leveled a sword by his head from behind. "One." He spun away from Donatello's bo as it whizzed towards him while blocking Leo's swords with a hockey stick. He tried to tap Donatello with the stick but he dodged. April managed to flank him and tripped him with her bo, pushing him into Michelangelo, who's nun-chucks flew past his ear in a whine.

"Strike two dude, you're dyin' out here tonight," Mikey laughed.

Frustrated, he managed to duck and roll away from them and come up behind Donatello, feigning a strike with one end of the stick to the back of his head and following up with a heart-level tap against Leonardo's plastron. "Ha! You were saying, shell brain?" he yelled breathlessly. He dodged a strike from April's bo, executed from a perfect cat stance but not quite fast enough.

The three brothers sitting on the sidelines cheered her and Michelangelo on. Casey kept them as wide from him as he could with the hockey stick, trying to prevent one of them from getting behind him again. Michelangelo lunged in on him low, the chain of his nun-chuck wrapping around the stick and almost disarming him. Casey felt April's bo against his neck. "Kill shot!" she cried, and they all cheered.

She expected them to call it a night when Casey turned and said, "Your turn tuts. How many hit points should April get?"

"At least four dude, she's way scarier than you," Mikey laughed.

"I don't know guys," she said nervously. "I don't think that's a good idea I'll be dead in five seconds."

"Hey, it's good practice sis," Michelangelo nudged her playfully.

They were up and surrounded her in a semi-circle. "Holy hell guys," she managed before they descended on her. Facing four armed giant turtles and a hockey stick wielding maniac suddenly dawned on her as something that she would only wish on her worst enemy.

Her only saving grace was the adrenaline rush of being attacked by all of them made her very fast. She had to tag one or two right away or all was lost. Casey and Leo were closest to her. She darted between them. Katanas came towards her and her squeak of fear was genuine. She dodged, hit the ground behind Casey, kicked the back of his knee only hard enough for him to go down on it, then touched the back of his head again.

"Dammit," he mumbled, getting out of the way. She was up and swinging the bo around her to try and keep them back until she could assess where the turtles were. Donatello used his own bo to stop hers, jolting her a little. Mikey came in on her from her left and she scored a hit on his chest but left her back completely open to Donatello. His staff touched her head. "One." She spun away and right into Raphael. She tried to push off of him, realizing her mistake as his sais caught the bo. With a flick of his wrists he wrenched it out of her grip.

"Two."

"Three."

Her eyes widened for a moment as she realized she had a sword by her throat and bo by her head on the opposite side. Raphael leaned in wickedly for quick kiss. "Kill shot."

She sighed as he handed her staff back to her. "I told you I would only last five seconds."

"Hey you managed to tag out the B team over there," Raphael laughed. Michelangelo gave out an indignant "Hey!" while Casey flicked him the middle finger

**oooooo**

Within another week the guys could routinely and quickly defeat their five opponents. April usually managed to defeat two out of the five, three on a good night. After training with them, after all she had learned, her confidence was soaring. She would never be afraid of some two-bit mugger again, or even one or two Foot soldiers.

Their time here was drawing to an end. The mood in the evenings after the excitement of sparring wore off became more serious. The brothers meditated and went over battle strategies. They knew if they didn't plan properly, they would loose their father and mentor forever.

It had been six weeks since the Foot had taken him. While they knew Splinter was alive, they didn't know what the Foot's purpose was with him. They presumed they wanted him for information, that he was a prisoner and likely not being treated well. April and Casey had gone into town for a bunch of first aid supplies just in case he was in bad shape when they rescued him. Raphael and Leonardo argued over where and how to start the search, but their disagreements had a calm undertone that surprised everyone.

Their last day at the farm was one of calm and rest. They had been working really hard and their bodies needed a day to recover before they were battered and bruised in real combat again. They planned to leave in the afternoon, which would get them back to the city by nightfall and give them some cover.

Everyone spent their last day differently.

Leonardo had hiked up to the Western border of the property to a rocky ridge that hit a cord with him. He had often taken them there for their training sessions. There was a smooth, flat rock where he could sit comfortably and look over the patchwork of forest and small farms. He basked in the warm sunshine and didn't feel so out of place. He meditated and mentally prepared for battle.

Donatello and Casey fussed over the van and packed it up. They topped the oil and checked it over. The last thing they needed was to stall out in the middle of nowhere on their way back, or even worse in a town where the mutant brothers wouldn't be able to hide from passerby's looking to help. Donatello had gutted a bunch of old machinery and electronics and was frantically trying to fit as much of it into the van as possible. He had big plans for future projects and inventions. He rambled them off to Casey, who told him he was getting nerdier by the day.

Michelangelo drew. He had been intrigued by April's sketches, especially the ones of them. She had taught him a few techniques here and there and he blossomed into quite the artist. At first he had mimicked April's realism, but soon his creativity and imagination started spilling onto the pages in a style all his own. He wanted to write his own comic series and one day surprise his brothers when it got published and they could afford pizza every night.

Raphael sought out April, knowing that peaceful moments would be few and far between in the city. She was standing by the pond with her bo deep in thought. It was horizontal across the back of her neck and shoulders, and her arms were stretched out over it, hands hanging casually. She leaned back into it a little, perking her chest up ever so slightly.

She hadn't heard him settle onto the log to her right under the willow tree until he spoke. "Now that is quite the sight. I wish we could work that into a ready position, it would be my first choice every time we train."

She turned and smiled a greeting. "I don't know, horse stance is pretty hot."

He snorted back a laugh and invited her to sit beside him. She rested the bo against the log, clambered up and settled in his lap instead, which was even better.

"You ok? You looked kinda down when I got here."

"Just going to back to reality and dealing with everything we ran from. Things I've put off thinking about because I couldn't do anything from here all of a sudden are going to be pressing issues. I have to sort out my insurance and see if I can get my place fixed up or if I need to look for something else. I have no home, no job and we literally ate through my entire savings."

"Our place isn't safe for more than a night or two either. We'll stick together, whoever finds something first will help the other until we get back on our feet, all of us."

She smiled and tilted her head into him. "Are you nervous?"

"Hell no, I'm dyin' to get my hands on those assholes. I'm gonna keep breaking them until one finally tells me where to find my father. Then they are all in for it."

"Be careful," she reminded him.

"I will." He nuzzled into the back of her neck and huffed. "You too. Please. Don't be stubborn. Keep away from us if we get swarmed."

She laughed out loud. "Don't be stubborn? Did those words really just leave your mouth?"

"Ya, ya, I see the irony. Just promise me please. I can't loose my star student now."

"I promise. I'll take the compliment too, even though I'm your _only_ student." She could feel him smile against her. "The first thing I'm going to do when this is all over is tell Splinter what an amazing Sensei you are. I can't believe how far you took me in just over a month."

He chuckled deeply, squeezing her tighter. "I could say the same about you."


End file.
